


This is the Way the World Ends

by grandAce



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Iwaoi Week submission, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-16 00:44:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2249547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grandAce/pseuds/grandAce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the way the world ends,<br/>not with a bang but a whimper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is the Way the World Ends

The moment his fingers slipped off of the volleyball, Oikawa knew that something was wrong. When he thought about it later, he supposed that he realized he had lost his balance and was going to land on one foot. Perhaps he'd been bracing for the pain, not that it would make any difference in the end.

However, at the moment, Oikawa didn't think about that. He didn't think about anything, really, once his foot made contact with the ground. All he could focus on was the pain, the searing pain that numbed out everything else.

\- - - - -

The worst part was the screaming.

Iwaizumi knew that he complained a lot about Oikawa. He was noisy, he was loud, and he was obnoxious. He was stupid and annoying and insufferable. But that didn't mean... that didn't mean that Iwaizumi had ever wanted to hear this.

The sound of the ball hitting the court felt like it was miles away, drowned out in the maelstrom of screaming. Moving almost seemed impossible when it felt like his blood had turned to ice in his veins, sharp and paralyzing.

"Oikawa!"

He wasn't sure how he made it to Oikawa's side. Even though he no longer screamed, the slightest movement earned a cry of pain. Doing nothing seemed to bother him just the same, and... he looked pale, as though all the color had drained away and he could be sick at any moment.

As his heartbeat bounded in his ears, the only thing Iwaizumi really knew... was that there wasn't anything he could do. He couldn't even find the words to comfort him, awkwardly lingering at the setter's side as the medics came forward. It was as he was told to step back that he found his words. He wasn't sure if they were the right words, but it was the only thing he could say.

"We'll take care of it."

He watched as the medics carried Oikawa away, the faculty adviser not far behind them. It took a few moments longer before Iwaizumi could will himself to move, moving to where his teammates had gathered near the benches. Though he wasn't certain what the coach said, Iwaizumi nodded along and watched as he too moved away. It was a shoulder bumping against his that finally pulled Iwaizumi back to attention.

"Looks like you're in charge for now, huh?"

Iwaizumi groaned, but he made no protest as the coach returned, letting his shoulders drop. "I guess so." He told Oikawa they would take care of it, and now it looked like it was time to hold true to that promise.

"Alright, Yahaba. You're in. It's no different from usual."

\- - - - -

_Don't look at me._

_Don't look at me like that!_

_Stop! Quit looking at me like you pity me!_

\- - - - -

Iwaizumi wouldn't have dared inflate Oikawa's ego by suggesting that the captain's absence affected the team, but... well, it was entirely different from usual. It wasn't as though they hadn't practiced, but a cloud hung over the team.

By the time the teacher returned, their lead in the second set had already been lost. Information did little to lift the mood, and the match ended 2-0 in Karasuno's favor. No pleasantries were exchanged as they shook hands, the teams filing past one another in silence.

Kageyama began to say something as Iwaizumi passed, but the older player interrupted him. "Don't."

If the mood on the court had been heavy, the mood in the locker room was suffocating. Iwaizumi was emptying Oikawa's locker as well when Matsukawa spoke up beside him, first to break the silence.

"Well, that was a shitty way to go."

Iwaizumi shrugged, tension knotted in his shoulders. He noticed that when he looked back all the underclassmen had already vanished. Scowling, he picked up his pace at emptying the locker.

"We didn't even win a single set," Hanamaki added, and for a moment Iwaizumi paused to listen before resuming his efforts. "I mean, I thought we'd at least go out with a bang."

Iwaizumi wasn't talking, and so Matsukawa took his place. "I don't think it's sunk in yet. Our last official match. Pretty anticlimactic." Iwaizumi slammed the locker shut. "Want to stop by the hospital with us tomorrow?"

Finally Iwaizumi spoke. "Sorry. I've already got plans." Lifting Oikawa's bag, he tossed it toward Hanamaki. "Give him this."

\- - - - -

_Is this the end?_

\- - - - -

_Is this what betrayal feels like?_

\- - - - -

Patellar tendinitis.

The name sounded familiar, but the way Oikawa stared at the doctor must have clued him in that he need to elaborate.

 _Jumper's knee_.

Oh, right. Oikawa was definitely familiar with that one. The doctor's words drifted lazily in one ear and out the other, though Oikawa wasn't sure if it was the painkiller or his own lack of concern.

 _You shouldn't have been playing today_.

What did he know? Oikawa _had_ to play today. This was the one day Oikawa couldn't _not_ play!

 _The tendon ruptured. You're going to need surgery_.

What.

\- - - - -

Iwaizumi settled on the bleachers. It felt strange, both to be alone and to lack a duffle bag. He tried not to think about it as the final match for Miyagi Prefecture's National's representative began.

\- - - - -

_The best laid schemes of mice and men  
_ _Often go awry._

If Oikawa had to come up with a metaphor for his future, he imagined it would be something like a house of cards in a typhoon.

Even if Aobajousai didn't make it to Nationals (not that Oikawa had doubted that they would), the Spring High would decide everything. Not that Oikawa imagined he couldn't get into a university the normal way, but getting scouted would have made everything so much simpler (and, of course, he would be scouted).

But who would scout an injured player? What about one who might never recover? It would take at least six weeks for the initial recovery, and as for rehabilitation... At anywhere between six months and a full year before he could go back to playing, even the bare minimum would be _too long_. And that was still assuming that he would recover _enough_ , that he could still play volleyball at a competitive level...

Someone knocked at the door, and Oikawa put on a quick smile as he called out. "Come in!" He brightened as the guest entered, though even Oikawa wasn't sure if he was acting or not. "Iwa-chan! Did you bring a gift? After waiting this long to even show up!"

\- - - - -

Iwaizumi couldn't remember ever seeing Oikawa cry... not like this. In the past, there had always been something different about it. There had always been hope for the future, determination to succeed in light of whatever failure he'd encountered. This time was different, and Iwaizumi didn't say anything about the wet spots Oikawa was leaving on his shirt.

He stayed until the muffled sniffles gave way into silence, and even after that he remained, hand rubbing awkward circles over one shoulder blade as he stared at the wall. When Oikawa finally sat up, neither of them said anything.

When Oikawa kissed him, Iwaizumi didn't pull away.

Iwaizumi never brought it up, and Oikawa never mentioned it.

\- - - - -

It was two weeks before Oikawa could return to school. It was two weeks that reminded Oikawa the value of his friends, because he couldn't remember a single day where some combination of Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki didn't show up to bring him his classwork and explain what of it they could. The three of them provided a continuous distraction that kept Oikawa from thinking too hard, and the three of them were willing enough (with some minor complaints) to help Oikawa with the literal act of getting back on his feet.

Things changed when he was finally cleared to return to Aobajousai.

There _was_ a such thing as bad attention, and nausea clawed at Oikawa's stomach when he hobbled through the front gates, too aware of the eyes that followed him. He moved with agonizing slowness, careful of his footing as he moved with the aid of a crutch. He didn't need to hear the words to know people were talking, and he could see the outline of the brace he'd been forced to wear through the plaid design of his uniform's slacks.

He wanted to go home.

He wanted to forget about the world outside of his bedroom.

He already lost everything here that mattered to him.

\- - - - -

Oikawa didn't show up to practice. Iwaizumi didn't think this was entirely surprising, and he couldn't fault Oikawa. The Spring Highs were over, and until they graduated all that remained was training and local practice matches.

Oikawa didn't show up to the captains' meeting. Iwaizumi knew this because, as vice-captain, _he_ was the one who was sought out and dragged to take Oikawa's place. Iwaizumi could forgive that, because Oikawa had been away for two weeks already.

Oikawa didn't show up to the club meeting. Graduation was fast approaching, and aside from choosing a new captain and vice captain, it was only polite. He had no excuse for that one.

Iwaizumi knew he had gone to school that day. He knew because he was the one who showed up at Oikawa's door every morning, joining him for the walk and sometimes shouldering Oikawa's bag opposite his own.

He'd never thought the hardest task of his high school career would be "Find Oikawa Tooru".

\- - - - -

"I quit."

Apparently Iwaizumi did not think it was a laughing matter. Even as Oikawa laughed to himself, his long-time friend stood silent, watching him with folded arms. It didn't take long before the silence began to affect Oikawa.

"What do you want from me, Iwa-chan?" His voice cracked, and hurriedly he covered over it with an airy laugh. "I don't need to be there! You and Makki and Mattsun can handle it just fine without me. There are only a couple second years; it's not like you have a ton of options."

Oikawa pushed himself to stand, weight balanced on one foot as he lifted his crutch for support. Now that he'd started, why should he stop?

"I'm tired of this. I'm tired of all of this, Iwa-chan!" What didn't he understand? "I put everything into this! And for what? It's _gone_ now!" Years of effort, and for what? "What am I supposed to –"

Oikawa's words ended in a strangled squawk as the distance between them vanished. His free hand came up to cover his nose, checking for blood, and already the words began to tumble from his lips. "You _actually_ hit a guy on crutches –"

"Get over yourself already, asshole!"

A hand pressed against his chest. Though there was no force behind the action, Oikawa sat down again. He sat, and he watched with pursed lips as Iwaizumi rubbed at his forehead. He couldn't decide if it was pain or a growing headache that prompted the action, but the point held irregardless: Iwaizumi wasn't finished.

But Iwaizumi didn't say anything. He glared for a while, but the silence held steady before, finally, he moved to sit at Oikawa's side. Oikawa carefully leaned his shoulder into Iwaizumi's, and when Iwaizumi finally spoke again, his voice was softer.

"We'll figure it out. We'll pick somewhere, I don't know, and just take a year off. You don't need to be scouted to join the team, right? We take a year off volleyball, and when you're ready we'll try out. It shouldn't be a problem to get in."

How was he supposed to argue with that?

\- - - - -

Oikawa groaned as he pushed himself to stand again, leaving Iwaizumi seated on the bench and staring up at him. He stared back with a petulant scowl, and finally a heavy sigh left him.

"Whatever." Iwaizumi hadn't seen Oikawa looking so... hopeful... since the Spring Highs. "Let's go, Iwa-chan. Has Mad Dog been behaving himself? Since I haven't been around to keep him in line."

The effect of Oikawa walking away was lost with how slowly and awkwardly the brunet moved, but Iwaizumi didn't fault him on that one as he stood up to follow. Oikawa was still talking.

"By the way, Iwa-chan, there was a whole lot of _we_ in there. Next you'll be asking me to move in with you."

It wasn't a question. Iwaizumi didn't care.

"Why not?"

The Oikawa he remembered laughed, already slow pace grinding to a halt. "How can you say things like that so seriously?" But he didn't say no, and when he finally began to move again he spoke up once more. "We should probably pick a university first. Then we can worry about apartment browsing."

\- - - - -

But at least the world wasn't ending today.


End file.
